Making Women Count in Wisconsin Politics

By: Jennifer Seeker Conroy

Women make up more than half of the population of Wisconsin, yet they are vastly underrepresented in nearly all levels of government. Wisconsin does have some highlights in the history of women in politics, but there is a long way to go to achieving equal representation. Strong support for women candidates and officeholders and robust philanthropy among women are the first steps toward change.

Wisconsin was the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote on June 10, 1919. It is also the birthplace of the founder of the League of Women Voters, Carrie Chapman Catt. Women fill school board seats and are common in many local governments statewide, yet there has never been a female governor of Wisconsin, and women hold just 22 percent of seats in the state legislature ranking Wisconsin 32nd among the 50 states.

Wisconsin has never had a female U.S. Senator. However, in 1998 Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison) became the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin. She has since been joined by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee). Baldwin says the underrepresentation of women is unacceptable. "In every presidential election since 1964, the number of female voters has exceeded the number of male voters," said Baldwin. "Women are the voting majority in this country, yet we account for only 17 percent of the votes in Congress."

Women hold eight of the 20 Madison Common Council seats. Satya Rhodes-Conway has represented the 12th District on Madison's near east side since 2007. She says strong support from a young age gave her the confidence to run. "I was raised to believe my voice mattered and that I had a responsibility to use it for good," Rhodes-Conway said. "I was educated about the importance of public service, public process, and participation in government. As an adult, I was encouraged to get involved, appreciated for my involvement, and supported when I decided to run."

Rhodes-Conway says women need to support other women in seeking office. She suggests starting with small steps such as encouraging women to join the PTA, neighborhood associations, and government committees. She says as women run for office and once they are in office, they need encouragement, donations, and support to achieve work/life balance. Long term, Rhodes-Conway says education is the key to achieving equality in politics. She says young people need to be taught the importance of civics and politics and says citizen involvement in government in all ways possible should be encouraged. Rhodes-Conway says women need to take the lead in making their voices heard. "Despite our best efforts, institutionalized sexism still exists," Rhodes-Conway said. "Women are still asked, encouraged, and supported less into leadership."

Baldwin agrees that women have a unique perspective and a right to be heard. "As women, we bring our life experiences to our jobs," said Baldwin. "We can effect change because we prioritize issues as we know them, as we understand them; and because of that, having a seat at the table matters." Baldwin says women are best able to understand the challenges of all women. "We need to integrate the perspective of women into the policy-making process, so that in crafting legislation and public policy, we always ask, 'How is this going to affect women who work at home; women in the workplace with home responsibilities; women who are single parents?'" Baldwin said.

Baldwin is a trailblazer as the first female member of Congress from Wisconsin. She hopes others follow her lead to serve as strong role models. "We encourage women first by running ourselves, setting an example, showing it can be done," Baldwin said. “Second, we must support their candidacies, in words, and deeds: making calls, putting up signs, distributing literature. Financial backing is an essential element in any campaign and men usually have a leg up in that regard through the "old boys' network." We need to show financial support for a woman candidate from the very beginning to give her credibility and allow her to run a successful campaign."

A Fund For Women is not a political organization nor does it support specific political parties or candidates. AFFW does strive to help girls and women overcome obstacles and reach their potential. Baldwin agrees philanthropy can be a key to women helping women succeed and achieve equality at all levels. "Philanthropy is essential to support the non-profit programs that help women succeed, not just in politics, but in life," Baldwin said. "A Fund for Women supports programs that improve the lives of and empower women and girls, effecting social change in ways that may evolve from and lead to legislative and public policy initiatives. Moreover, these programs play an important role in nurturing and mentoring new generations of women leaders."